'It’s going to be an interesting day,' Republican Mike Pence said of Sunday afternoon's vote on health care reform in the House.

Washington (CNN) – A prominent House Republican said Sunday that his caucus will do whatever it can to try to stop passage of a Democratic health care reform plan.

“Well, I don’t know if they have the votes,” Rep. Mike Pence, R-Indiana, said on State of the Union, just minutes after Rep. John Larson, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said Democrats had lined up the 216 votes necessary to pass the legislation. “House Republicans are going to use every means at our disposal,” Pence said.

When asked by CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley exactly what House Republicans intended to do, Pence was coy. “Well, stay tuned, Candy. It’s going to be an interesting day.”

The House is set to take up the final Democratic package on Sunday afternoon.

The Indiana Republican also suggested Sunday that Democrats could pay a price at the polls in this year’s midterm elections if they succeed in passing health care reform.

“I don’t know if they [Democrats] have the votes today,” Pence told Crowley as he looked at Larson, “but I guarantee you the American people know they have the votes in November.”
Earlier on State of the Union, Rep. Larson, D-Connecticut, declared that his party has enough votes to pass the reform package.

“We’ve got the votes,” Larson told Crowley.

The Connecticut Democrat also said, “This is a historic day and we are happy warriors. We are so proud of the Democratic caucus that we will be a part of history, joining Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s passage of Social Security, Lyndon Johnson’s passage of Medicare, and now Barack Obama’s passage of health care reform.”

soundoff(340 Responses)

Clint

Oh yeah Pense, I imagine Republicans are gonna show their ignorance for quite a while yet. Until we vote out all Republicans, the mouth breathing, knuckle dragging Zealots running this pathetically ignorant party are going to continue bringing American to it's knees. Look what is happening with the Texas Textbook debacle....get RID of these medieval heretics that want to brain wash young children and re-write history.

March 21, 2010 02:12 pm at 2:12 pm |

jp,michigan

The democratic party is more interested in history books than they are of the majority of American people, their needs or wants. So fast the forget they are employed by the American people, including the President. Like the President once state, "that is why they have elections." How true! Come November many incumbant Democrats will find out . Then in 2012 the sest of them and the President will find out . Fear the power of the voting booth, your action now, will be your inaction then.

March 21, 2010 02:13 pm at 2:13 pm |

Mark

What a joke the republicans are. They have let their corporate (insurance company) mastes down and all their lobbyimg dollars can't buy enough traitors to undermine the safety and security of the American people.

March 21, 2010 02:16 pm at 2:16 pm |

Mickey

I would expect nothing less from the Party Of No:

Obstructionism
Fearmongering
Embracing Racism & Bigotry...

Republican Party = Domestic Terrorism

March 21, 2010 02:18 pm at 2:18 pm |

Matt

keep on blindly supporting your sides....Democrat this Republican that........stop supporting sides and start supporting right or wrong............divide and conquer...........now fall in line puppets

March 21, 2010 02:26 pm at 2:26 pm |

Sad American

I am neither Republican or Democrat, and of course I am for health care reform, but this has all been way to shady.

Threatening democrats if they dont vote your way? I thought this was America?

Welcome to big government in your face, next stop full on socialism.

Remember, an extra 30,000 IRS agents to be hired due to this bill, is that ever a good thing?

If we still have the ability to vote in November, all democrats are gone!

March 21, 2010 02:27 pm at 2:27 pm |

Brendan Hanley

Democrats are on the right side of the issues, but the Republic party (the clowns that call Democrats the "Democrat" party) is better at messaging, and WAY better at lying. Let's see, they scream about reconciliation, when it turns out, not only have they done it a bunch, but the Democrats HAD to use it because the Republics blocked them from goin to conference (what they do w/evey other bill). And my main point would be about "deem and pass"; the Republics, again, screamed that nothing like that had ever been done before; and, whoops, under Newt and Dennis they used it over 200 times. What really struck my eye in this article, and maybe it's already been mentioned, however is, how come Republics (Mike Pence) get to say that they will use "every means at our disposal" to block it, but you hypocrites on the right don't think it's OK for Democrats to use previously used and accepted means to pass it. You guys are pathetic.

March 21, 2010 02:27 pm at 2:27 pm |

carlos

this idiot ryan of wisconsin......why is he wasting our time by taking the floor of the House.....sharks cannot wait any longer, they are hungry for the repulsives to come out of the capitol

March 21, 2010 02:27 pm at 2:27 pm |

Dave

The GOP doesn't want this, and I guess I understand why ... but I have yet to hear them once suggest an alternative ... they are against it, but what are they for? A continuation of a system that obviously doesn't work?

March 21, 2010 02:28 pm at 2:28 pm |

fatima

I agree with Becky. Let us make it into law that the law makers get the same health insurance the common man gets and see how fast the lawmakers changes their tune. Why should they get the best health care at the expense of taxpayers – not just for duration of office but FOR LIFE!

March 21, 2010 02:28 pm at 2:28 pm |

Mario in Texas

Patriot March 21st, 2010 1:14 pm ET

Just a correction on my previous post: In regard to the 2008 election, I meant to write: "...the MAJORITY of those who took part overwhelmingly voted for change." In a democracy, the majority rules, whether Pence and other House Repbus like it or not.

According to the Republicans, any majority is not truly a majority. They've been on this line ever since Gore garnered more votes than Bush. So to them, the minority is the majority.

March 21, 2010 02:30 pm at 2:30 pm |

Anna

As long as my taxes pay for our government to have healthcare, I want some too. And it would cost a heck of a lot less to insure me than some 90+ year old career politician who has lived high on the hog their whole life and had someone else foot the bill.

March 21, 2010 02:30 pm at 2:30 pm |

normajean

If it's for more than money and power, I don't understand the Republicans dogged determination to bring down anything the Democrats try to do. They had the last eight years to put in place any health plan they wanted and did NOTHING. They have done nothing to benefit the country with their lack of attention to what was happening on Wall Street, the bad home loans ,the economy in general. ,, huge tax credits to the wealthiest.None of this makes any sense as a prelude to lies,anger and obstructionism they are now so heavily into. The Republican citizens are being hurt badly too, not just the Democrats whose leaders are at least trying to help them get back to a decent life.There is a strange abnormality to the whole picture.It's very scary for ALL of us.

March 21, 2010 02:31 pm at 2:31 pm |

Wmscot

If these obstuctionist republican thugs stop what we voted this administration in for then we need to weed them out and see if there are any laws they have broken to put them in jail.

March 21, 2010 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

Mark S.

Republicans, once again on the wrong side of history.... you'd think they would get tired of being wrong.....

March 21, 2010 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

LoriCO

I want to see this bill pass...we need reform! People are afraid of any kind of change these days...they want guarantees and there just are no guarantees in life. Republicans need to stop saying "NO", shut their mouths and open their eyes...take a look at what's going on in this country...and quit listening to those loud mouths in the tea party who think they speak for every American...because they've never talked to me to find out my opinion...so they don't speak for me.

I agree with Becky...not only do the lawmakers in Washington need to be on the same kind of insurance plans we have, but they also need to live on a day to day basis on the salaries we all live on.

And Bubba...I am a Democrat and guess what??? I HAVE A JOB!!! Although, I have to wonder about someone named "Bubba" who can only tell us to get a job! What is it you do for a living???

March 21, 2010 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

Bev

Oh Republicans PLEASE STOP!!! Walk a mile in my shoes for a second with a $10,000 deductible and a cost of $7000 a year for health insurance because I am self-employed. That's almost a third of our disposible income. Get over it – for crying out loud. Start looking to help the average American instead shoveling manure into the American psyche. I saw where the Republicans also want to lower Pell Grants for college students – financial aid needed for many college students to stay in school. Pitiful, pitiful, pitiful...I say, throw the bums out and replace them with legislators who actually want positive change instead of protecting their wealthy special interests.

March 21, 2010 02:35 pm at 2:35 pm |

Kelli A

Watching Nancy Pelosi parade through the croud with her oversized mallot just proves that this healthcare bill has nothing to do with what she believes is right, but is nothing more than a power play.

March 21, 2010 02:37 pm at 2:37 pm |

Blutarski

I wonder how many small businesses will reduce their workforce to under 50 employees, and reduce their payroll to under $250,000 in order to be exempt from this Bill. Sound like higher unemployment and lower wages for the bottome earners in this country. But Obama's legacy will survive. MMM MMM MMM

March 21, 2010 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |

Bobby In Atlanta

Why didn't the Republicans address the issues with health care when GW Bush was in office and the Republicans controlled both chambers of the Congress?

March 21, 2010 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |

The GOP hates America

Yeah, yeah, yeah - we already know that the GOP is ridiculously obstructionist and they don't want our President to be able to pass anything so that hopefully the American people are frustrated enough by that to forget what a complete MESS the GOP made of things when they were in power. The American people are smarter than that, but nice try obstructionists.

March 21, 2010 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |

JLC

I voted for Obama and democrates for the first time in my life hoping son commensense and meaningful change would occur. However, the secretcy and arrogance of Congress and particularity the President have appalled me. President Obama does not really care about anything except making history and changing a as much as poossible regardless of the method, effectiveness and good it will do. Healthcare needs reform, but the current plan being shoved down our throats through trickery, will not solve any problems and will obnly cause Insurance and healthcare costs to soar. Acutually they maybe smarter than I give them credit for because when it fails, they will enact a total healthcare takeover by the government and really bankrupt our country. Please vote no and throw them out before they do irriversable harm.

March 21, 2010 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

Justin

"Despite every hysterical lie, half-truth and unfounded accusation we've tried, we cannot defeat this bill. So we plan to scream "Mary Had a Little Lamb" as long as it takes for our Democrat opponents to grow old and die."

The GOP really has lost all semblance of dignity.

March 21, 2010 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

A. Smith, Oregon

The Only Republican recommendation for improving Health Care in America was to totally remove regulations on their Health Insurance Corporate masters!

Could you imagine the horrific health crisis here in America if Health Insurance company's had no regulations blocking their corruption?

One clause in the Democratic Health Care Bill ALONE places stiff regulations on MD's who own their own MRI's and other medical equipment who have routinely bilked Medicare and American taxpayers BILLIONS in needless MRI's and non-existent Cat-Scans.

There is no question this reform of Health Care will save BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars and help cap the vast corruption in American's health care industry.

March 21, 2010 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Bill from CA

There's a reason the GOP are the MINORITY party, and it's because the people are sick of them being on the wrong side of issues, and presenting no good ideas to solve the nation's problem. This clown's comments are just another perfect example of that.